Incubator



March 28, 1939. w, NE EIDELS 2,152,492

INCUBATOR Filed Aug. 20, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 "INVENTOR. 7 20 3 fll'lliam d. A ec dels March 28, 1939. w, J NEEDELS I 2,152,492

INCUBATOR Filed Aug. 20, 1936 s Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR. ll l'llz'dm JAeqe/s ATTORNEY-5.

March 28, 1939. w. J. NEEDELS 2,152,492

INGUBATOR Filed Aug. 20, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

' A ORNEY-S.

Patented Mar. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for the incubation of eggsand particularly to the type of incubator which employs a forced draftof heated air for maintaining the eggs at the a. proper temperature.

At the present time, the greatest problem encountered in the use of thistype of incubator is the occurrence of cold spots in locations which donot receive the proper amount of draft. I have in effectively eliminatedthis problem by a novel egg tray arrangement located within theincubator and it is therefore an object of thisinvention to provide ameans whereby a forced draft of heated air is distributed equally to aplurality of egg in containing trays positioned within an incubatingcompartment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means whereby aplurality of egg trays may be disposed in an incubator cabinet in acompact 20 and highly efiicient manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tray support arrangementfor an incubator to permit the insertion of similarly proportioned eggtrays therein, thus facilitating the handling and positioning of saidtrays.

A further object of the invention is to provide for the incubation of a.large quantity of eggs on a commercial scale which is carried out inrelatively small compartments comprising the incu- 30 bator unit.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification andaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of my incubator 35 unit.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, detailsthereof not shown for clarity.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken 40 on line 3-3 of Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of my hatcher unit, the doors thereofbeing removed to dis- 45 close the interior egg tray and fanarrangement.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental perspective View Showing in detail one side of mytray supporting structure and the means for precluding horizontalmovement of trays positioned thereon.

50 Fig. 7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken through the springfinger member of the tray fastening means shown in Fig. 6.

The preferred embodiment of my invention to be hereinafter describedrelates to the stage 55 method of incubation. The accompanying drawingsset forth apparatus employed for the first stage of incubation whichmay, with slight modifications, be used for the last stage or hatchingoperation.

My incubator unit comprises an octagonally 5 shaped insulated cabinet 6,the vertical and parallel sides being elongated to form the front andrear side walls 1 and 8 thereof. The cabinet is also provided withvertical end walls 9' and I0, and is divided into three separate andidentical l0 compartments H by vertical partitions H0, in each of whichindependent incubation is carried out. The cabinet 6 is pivotallysuspended upon a centrally disposed shaft or axis I 2 which extendsthrough the length of the cabinet and has its hearings in the supportingstandards 13 and M. A gear segment l5 (Fig. 1) is positionedtransversely of and beneath the cabinet center and serves to produce arocking or oscillating movement of the cabinet by meshing with a pinionl6 which is driven from a suitable reversible motor I! secured to alongitudinal standard connecting member l8.

Each of the compartments II has two tiers of egg trays l9, said traysbeing disposed one above the other and being removable from theirrespective compartments by means of front and rear doors 2B and 2irespectively. The doors are provided with suitable latch members 22 andhinges 23.

Referring now to Fig. 3, it will be noted that each tier of egg trays I9is inclined from the vertical and diverges outwardly from the common,lower adjacent portion. The trays are suitably provided with wire meshbottoms 24 to allow 5 partial air circulation through them. Horizontalguide members or tracks 25 support the trays along opposite ends thereofand hold the trays in spaced relationship from the inside vertical wallsof the compartment by means of U-shaped channel members 26 which fastenthe guides to the walls by bolts 21 (Fig. 4). A rearward stop member forthe trays takes the form of an elongated angle bar 28 which is fastenedto the side walls of the compartment and extends into the path of thetrays supported in the guides 25 (Figs.

4, 6 and 7). To prevent the trays from horizontal movement when thecabinet is oscillated, I provide any suitable means such as an elongatedblock member 29 which is fastened to one ver-' tical side wall of thecompartment and spaced from the U-shaped member 26 to form a groovetherebetween. Into this groove I fit a bar 3!! Figs. 4, 6 and '7) whichextends into the path of the trays and which is removably fastenedtherein by a finger member 3| which is positioned in the block andspring urged into a hole 3 in the bar.

To provide for the forced draft circulation of warm air a fan 32 isfastened centrally of the top of the compartment by means of a supportstructure 33. An electric heating coil 34 is positioned on the structureand in the path of the forced air as it leaves the fan blades. The fanis disposed opposite the apex of the divergent tray arrangement so thatthe forced draft of air heated by the coil 34 will travel downwardlytoward the apex and impinge upon the innermost edges of the individualegg trays. This results in the deflection of the air outwardly andhorizontally across the egg trays as indicated by the arrows. The airafter leaving the trays travels upwardly through the passageways 35 tobe again circulated by the fan. cabinet provides additional deflectorsurfaces 36 to control the path of the circulation. Suitable ports 31are bored in the top and bottom of the compartment to allow thenecessary entrance of pure air and the emission of foul air. Thecompartment is also provided with a conventional hydrometer 38,thermostat 39 and thermometer 40.

The humidifier for the compartment comprises a Water pan 4| positionedon the bottom of the compartment which has raised inclined sides 42 topreclude the spilling of water contained therein when the cabinet isoscillated. The bottom of the pan has fastened thereto a square ofabsorbent material 43 which, when the cabinet is tilted from oneposition to the other, is saturated with the water to humidify the air.By increasing the number of oscillations of the cabinet, the humidity ofthe air in the compartments is raised. It is to be noted that forced airfrom the fan finds its way directly to the water pan,

. modification, in the last stages of incubation,

namely, the hatching operation. Referring to Fig. 5, the cabinet 44 isconstructed similar to the incubator cabinet 6 except that the formercabinet is stationary and rests upon a base 45.

;A- narrow central post 46 extends vertically of the opening 41 to formdoor frames 48 and 49. A fan 53 is positioned centrally of the cabinettop and has a heating element 52 located subjacent the blades thereof.The groups of egg trays 53 are slidably held in frames 54 which areprovided with wheels 55, guided in tracks 56 so that the entire frameholding a group of egg trays The octagonal shape of the,

may be slid from the cabinet as a unit. It will be seen that the framesare inclined from the vertical and diverge outwardly from their loweradjacent edges. The cabinet is also provided with suitable airhumidifier pans 51, ventilation ports 58 for the emission of foul airand the admission of fresh air and it also contains the usualthermostat, hygrometer and thermometer appliances (not shown).

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the character described the combination of a closedcabinet having a top, a bottom, and vertical side walls, an inclinedtier of spaced egg trays positioned adjacent each of two opposing sidewalls of the cabinet and comprising a plurality of divergently arrangedtray supports mounted in the cabinet,'similarly proportioned traysslidably held on the supports, the inward edge of each tray projectingbeyond the tray next above it, and a fan secured to the cabinetcentrally above the inner top edges of the trays and adapted to directair to said tray edges whereby to deflect said air laterally across thecontents of the trays.

2. In a device of the character described the combination of a closedcabinet having a top, a bottom and vertical side walls, a fan positionedcentrally of the top of the cabinet to direct a current of airdownwardly therefrom, and an. inclined tier of spaced egg trayspositioned adjacent each of two opposing side walls of the cabinet andcomprising a plurality of divergently arranged tray supports mounted inthe cabinet, and similarly proportioned trays, slidably held upon thesupports, the inward edge of each tray projecting beyond the tray nextabove it whereby a portion of said current of air impinges upon eachtray edge, said edges acting to deflect the air laterally across thecontents of the trays.

3. In a device of the character described the combination of a closedcabinet having horizontal top and bottom walls and vertical side walls,

a fan positioned centrally of the cabinet adja cent a horizontal walland adapted to create a current of vertically moving air therefrom, andan inclined tier of spaced egg trays positioned adjacent each of twoopposing side Walls of the cabinet and comprising a plurality ofdivergently arranged tray supports mounted in the cabinet, and similarlyproportioned trays slidably held upon the supports, the inward edge ofeach tray projecting beyond the edge of the tray next adjacent andnearest the fan, whereby said tray edge deflects said vertically movingair laterally across the contents of the tray.

WILLIAM J. NEEDELS.

